Anas bin Nadr (r.a.)
Anas bin Nadr was from Madinah. He was the paternal uncle of the famous Companion Anas bin Malik. He became a Muslim in Madinah in the first years when Islam emerged. He had a different place in the eye of the Prophet. The Prophet loved him very much and complimented on him from time to time.
Once, his sister broke a few teeth of a woman. Despite the request of Anas bin Nadr, they insisted on retaliation. They informed the Prophet about the issue. The Prophet also decreed that retaliation be applied. Anas said to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), “O Messenger of Allah! I swear by Allah, who sent you with the truth, that and I hope from Allah that my sister’s tooth will not be broken.” As a matter of fact, the complainants gave up retaliation and accepted blood money. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,
“There are some slaves of Allah; if they swear an oath by Allah, He accepts it.”
Anas bin Nadr could not take part in the Battle of Badr. Therefore, he felt guilty. He felt ashamed toward Allah and His Messenger. He prayed to his Lord as follows:
“O Lord! Give me an opportunity to make jihad so that I will be forgiven and I will pay my debt.”
Having this feeling in mind, he entered into the presence of the Messenger of Allah. He said, “O Messenger of Allah! I could not take part in the first battle against the polytheists. If Allah enables me to fight them, Allah knows what I will do to them.”
Finally, what Anas bin Nadr expected took place. Allah opened the door of Uhud to him. He was very happy. He was planning how to struggle against the enemy. He said, “We should not give any opportunity to the enemies of Islam. This young sapling of Islam should not be cut off. We can be cut off but this sapling should not be cut off. We all exist for it.”
In fact, nobody heard those words from him but his state showed loftier meanings.
The battle was going on severely. Anas was fighting self-sacrificingly. He wanted to make up for his absence at the Battle of Badr. The enemy soldiers looked for places to hide when they saw him. The polytheists were scattered thanks to him and brave soldiers like him. It was time to be joyful.
However, this joy did not last long. The archers that the Messenger of Allah had placed in the valley forgot the order of the Prophet, left their places and started to collect the booty thinking that the enemy had been defeated. When the enemy soldiers who were waiting in ambush saw that the archers left their places, they attacked from behind. The Muslims could not understand what happened and they scattered. Meanwhile, Mus’ab bin Umayr, who looked exactly like the Prophet (pbuh), was martyred by the polytheists. The false news that the Messenger of Allah had been killed spread. The Muslims were very sad.
Hz. Anas was running toward the enemy with his sword in his hand. He saw a group of Muslims sitting in a place. He asked, “Why are you sitting here?” They said, “The Messenger of Allah was martyred.” Anas said, “If the Messenger of Allah was martyred, what will you do if you remain alive without him? If Muhammad is dead, his Lord is alive. Get up and sacrifice your lives for what the Messenger of Allah sacrificed his life.” Then, he pointed the Muslims that were scattering and said, “O Lord! I ask forgiveness from you for what they do.” Then, he pointed to the polytheists and said, “O Lord! I take refuge in you from what they do.”
He felt that the duty belonged to him now. He decided to fight until he was martyred and not to return. He might not have found such an opportunity again.
He met Sa’d bin Muadh while walking toward the enemy. He said to Sa’d, ‘O Sa’d! I swear by the Lord of Nadr that Paradise is here. I am feeling its fragrance from the side of Mount Uhud.”
It was observed that Anas bin Nadr attacked the enemy with that excitement. Nobody saw him after that until the battle ended. They could not find him after the battle either. However, there was a dead body whose ears and nose were cut off, lips were broken off, eyes were scratched out and who had about 80 wounds of caused by swords, bayonets and arrows among the martyrs. Nobody knew whose dead body it was. Finally, her sister identified that it was Anas bin Nadr from his toes.
Anas bin Malik said, “We think the verse ‘Among the Believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah: of them some have completed their vow (to the extreme)…’ [al-Ahzab, 23] was sent down for my uncle Anas bin Nadr and similar people.”
When Sa’d bin Muadh looked at the lofty martyr in blood, he could not help crying and saying,
“O Messenger of Allah! I could not do what Anas bin Nadr did.” [1]
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[1]Usdul-Ghaba, 1: 131-132; Musnad, 3: 201.
